Guided by Voices / Irving Plaza / New York, NY / July…
This is not a subjective review. Guided by Voices are my favorite band of all time. I also had a lot to drink, so when I tell you this was … Read more
Reviews
Michael McDonald / Town Hall / New York, NY
Michael McDonald was a struggling young musician when the Doobie Brothers plucked him off the LA streets and thrust him into rock stardom. McDonald didn’t let the Brothers down, fronting … Read more
Johnny Winter’s Last Performance at the Cahors Blues Festival
Johnny Winter was simply one of those guys who was always fixin’ to die. A legendary figure with an appetite for everything that is dangerous, he lived life to the … Read more
Wye Oak – Shriek (Merge Records)
The trappings of a two-piece rock outfit are many, from the interpersonal dynamic to the smaller stable of voices from which to cull a fuller sound. Thankfully, Maryland’s Wye Oak … Read more
Mavis Staples Brings Some Soul To Montreux
Born into a gospel family, Mavis Staples has been onstage for most of her 75 years, and she seems as comfortable under a spotlight as in her living room. Decades … Read more
Briggs Farm Blues Festival / Nescopeck, PA / July 11-12
“That’s the stuff I like,” exclaimed an enthusiastic fan, comfortably perched about 75 yards from the Main Stage. He could have been talking about the music, the cold one he … Read more
Journey / Starlight Theatre / Kansas City, MO / July 14, 2014
Marvin Gaye once sang, “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.” Though this may be true for many things, Journey is a band that has seen many changes through the years … Read more
Mark Sebastian – The Real Story (Black Sheep Global Recordings)
Although the cover art evokes Raymond Chandler’s 1940s Los Angeles, this album was created in New York City, and the music recalls the best of what we were listening to … Read more
Stephan Eicher Wows The Hometown Crowd At Montreux
Native son Stephan Eicher drew an outsize crowd at the Stravinski Auditorium, where he announced that it was 13 years and one day since his first appearance at the Montreux … Read more
Dirty Loops Fall Flat For The Montreux Crowd
I went to the Montreux Jazz Club to get in good position for John Scofield, and saw a Swedish group, Dirty Loops. The lead singer and sometime keyboard player is … Read more
